Monday, 20 June 2016

Worried by the increasing spate of systematic destruction of oil and gas
assets in the Niger Delta Region, traditional rulers under the aegis of the
South-South Monarchs Forum have resolved to host a three day security summit
for traditional rulers in the nine states of the Niger Delta Region with a view
to mediate and devslop an actionable blueprint to resolve the crisis in the
region.

Chairman of the Forum, HRM King Dr Edmund M. Daukoru - Mingi XII Amanyanabo
of Nembe kingdom has explained that the decision to urgently convene the Niger
Delta Traditional Rulers Security Summit followed an Emergency Meeting of the
Forum in Port Harcourt where the Forum resolved as a matter of urgency, to
explore strategic frameworks and solicit interventional interface on matters
relating to broader aspects of security in the region on a collective national
platform.

The planned summit has the theme “Institutionalizing an Integrative
Architecture for Systemizing Domestic Security Management in the Niger Delta
Region”. It is scheduled to hold from 27th to 29th June 2016 at Le
Meridien Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

According to the Forum’s Chairman, the summit will leave no stone unturned
to provide an avenue to fashion out a holistic blueprint to check the triggers
of the crises with the objective to stem further escalation and lay a proper
foundation to consolidate the unity and prosperity of the Region and indeed
Nigeria for the present and future generations.

HRM King Dr Daukoru strongly lamented that as a result of the escalation of
the crises, “the corporate integrity of our great nation Nigeria, is under
siege and fierce challenge. The renewed intensification of violence, militancy,
targeted destruction of national assets, kidnappings and other violent acts of
sabotage has triggered a wave of insecurity in ways that cannot be described”.
Continuing, he noted that “the unrestrained resort to brazen violence and
intemperance has become truly worrisome, even ominous of potentially worse
events to come. The imperative we face is that something has to be done with
speed, to reverse this ugly slide towards potential anarchy, which threatens
our very corporate existence”.

He added that “like the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, if all
Stakeholders do not take immediate and robust steps to address the triggers and
remote causes of the issues and develop a roadmap to contain their intensity, the
situation could spiral out of control and in its wake, sweep aside the marginal
successes achieved in the economic, socio-cultural and developmental sectors of
the Niger Delta Region”. The only solution, he proffered is “to act decisively
now to protect and safeguard our collective heritage, opportunities and
commitments”.

To underscore the urgency with which to approach this challenge with
seriousness, he narrated “as we speak, our economy is bleeding at the seams.
Critical and strategic national assets are been systematically sabotaged.
Business activities have taken a nosedive and are plummeting steadily while at
the same time, the ecology of lands in the region is fast being degraded as a
result of massive spillage from the destroyed crude trunk lines. These have
constituted a national embarrassment and opportunity losses of untold
proportions. Under this heightened tension, the future of the region is being
driven backwards.

King Daukoru said traditional rulers in the region have and are expressing
strong concern and are appealing to all aggrieved citizens to shield their
swords and allow the monarchs to mediate. He urged all parties in the conflict
to “see the intervention we are soliciting as a natural mandate and a sacred
duty, which judging by the very system of government Nigeria has adopted, and
all other evidences around us, only the traditional institution is uniquely
placed to initiate”.

He enthused that as royal fathers, most of whom have occupied the exalted
traditional stools of our great forebears, it has become even more necessary to
intervene through traditional mechanisms of mediation, to salvage our peaceful
coexistence,”

In conclusion, he appealed to all parties to embrace dialogue while efforts
will be intensified to explore strategies aimed at peacefully reconciling the
differences. He also called on all stakeholders, including oil companies,
investors and other corporate entities to support this initiative in every way
possible, while noting that only synergy can bring about the desired outcomes.